Cross Island Line to take direct route under nature reserve

Singapore, Dec. 5 -- The MRT Cross Island Line (CRL) will run directly under Singapore's largest nature reserve, instead of skirting around it.

Announcing its decision yesterday, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said the direct alignment will see the tunnel going 70m, the height of a 25-storey HDB block, below the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. Initial plans called for a tunnel at a depth of around 40m.

Both options - going directly under or skirting around the reserve - were considered viable after an in-depth study, but nature groups had strongly called for the skirting alignment to avoid affecting flora and fauna in the gazetted reserve near MacRitchie Reservoir.

The MOT said the direct alignment will result in total travel time ...